


Carbon Copy

by wackyjacqs



Series: Bizarre Holidays [107]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Episode: s07e03 Fragile Balance, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2020-01-15 11:01:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18497590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wackyjacqs/pseuds/wackyjacqs
Summary: He still doesn’t fully understand what has transpired over the past seven days but he knows enough to be seriously irked with the Asgard, and the fact that everyone at the SGC suddenly seems fascinated that he’s walking around in his pajamas, only sours his mood further.





	Carbon Copy

**Author's Note:**

> Written for ‘Wear Your Pajamas To Work Day’ (16 April). Episode tag for season 7 ‘Fragile Balance’. 
> 
> Sorry this is late. I kind of (definitely) fell asleep before I could post it.

Jack scowls at whoever dares to glance in his direction as he makes his way towards the locker rooms. It’s not his fault he’s been beamed back into the SGC in his pajamas, but Hammond had refused to let him go and change into his BDUs, instead insisting that he and his mini-me report straight to the infirmary. Something about making sure they really were who they said they were.

A round of tests – and some pestering on Jack’s part – later, and Janet finally agreed to release him, so when the colonel caught a glimpse of Daniel and Teal’c hovering around his clone, he hightailed it out of the infirmary. However, instead of the corridors being deserted as they tended to be a lot of the time, Jack seemed to bump into every single person on duty on his way to Level 25.

He still doesn’t fully understand what has transpired over the past seven days but he knows enough to be seriously irked with the Asgard, and the fact that everyone at the SGC suddenly seems fascinated that he’s walking around in his pajamas, only sours his mood further.

As he finally rounds the corner towards the locker rooms, Jack rolls his shoulders. Even though he’s been asleep for the past week, he feels exhausted and grimy and just wants a quick shower and fresh change of clothes. He opens the door and strides into the room, only to freeze when he catches sight of Jacob leaning against his locker.

“Jacob?”

“Jack.”

“I didn’t know you were here.”

“I guess Sam forgot to mention it,” he says and Jack sees the strange look that flits across his face.

“I guess so,” he nods. “Actually, I haven’t seen her since we got back,” he adds casually as he gestures towards his locker. He throws Jacob a half-smile when he moves to the other side of the room.

“That’s… interesting.”

“Really?” he replies as he opens his locker and pulls out a black t-shirt. “How so?”

“I just thought Sam would be in the infirmary – along with the rest of your team, of course.”

The tone with which he finishes his sentence raises Jack’s suspicions and he glances at him out of the corner of his eye.

“Yeah, well, she wasn’t.”

A non-committal hmm escapes the older man and Jack’s jaw tightens. “What are you doing here, anyway?”

“I thought that was obvious by now.”

“No, I mean _here_. In the locker room. You know, where I’m waiting to shower,” Jack adds with a pointed look.

“I wanted to hang around and see for myself that it was you who actually returned.”

“Couldn’t say goodbye the old-fashioned way – like in the gate room?”

“I’m doing you a favor, Jack.”

“Oh yeah?” he asks as he turns and throws his BDU pants onto the bench.

“Yeah,” he parrots, folding his arms across his chest. “I thought you’d want to have this conversation in private.”

“Wh –” Seeing Jacob’s withering stare, Jack stops abruptly. “What have I done now?”

“Jack –”

“Jacob –”

“Sam really didn’t tell you I was here?”

“No, she didn’t. She knows you’re here, right?”

“Yes, Jack,” Jacob answers patiently. “She _is_ the one who contacted me, after all.”

“Huh?”

Jack isn’t able to hide his confusion, if his companion’s sudden amusement is anything to go by and he sighs.

“She sent a message to say you were in trouble – again – and wondered if I’d be able to offer assistance.”

“Oh.”

When Jack turns towards his locker, he hesitates for just a second.

“Well, I’m guessing since it was Thor who finally stepped in to fix the mess, your plan didn’t work,” he quips as he pulls the gray t-shirt over his head.

“I don’t know,” Jacob fires back. “You decided to go AWOL before you actually gave us an answer.”

“What was your suggestion?”

“Stasis.”

“Can understand why I ran,” he mumbles under his breath.

“Interesting.”

“Something on your mind, Dad?”

“No, no,” he says airily. “I just can’t help but notice that you had absolutely no interest in receiving help from the Tok’ra –”

“Have you forgotten what happened the last time?”

“Of course not, Jack, but you were so against our help this time, yet as soon as Sam asked you to reconsider, you said you’d think about it.”

“What’s your point, Jacob?”

“That’s twice now in the space of, what, eighteen months that Sam’s asked you to reconsider a decision that might help save your life – and twice you’ve listened.”

“So?”

He holds Jacob’s gaze for a few seconds then throws his arms in the air. _“What?”_

“Tell me this,” he says a little too casually for his liking. “Why is it that whenever you’re on the verge of dying, I get a slightly-panicked message from my daughter asking for help?”

“I have no idea.”

“Humor me, Jack.”

“What do you want me to say? In case you’ve forgotten, I spent most of the past week in an Asgard ship as a goddamn lab rat.”

“But your clone possessed all of your memories and experiences, so,” he pauses, “for all intents and purposes, it was still you.”

“And yet… it wasn’t.”

“Look, Jack,” he sighs. “I gave up trying to understand Sam’s feelings for you a long time ago –”

_“For crying out loud, Jacob,”_ he growls as he turns towards the door and slams it shut. “Carter –”

“– do I think you’re good enough for her? No. But –”

_“Jacob –”_

“– you’re not that stupid, Jack.”

_“Excuse me?”_

“I’m just saying the next time I visit Earth, I want it to be because I _can_ – not because some of my favorite people are in trouble – or worse.”

Jack’s eyebrows shoot up and he thinks he’s doing a pretty good imitation of Teal’c. “I – uh – huh?”

“Something is coming,” Jacob sighs, his voice lowering. “Something big,” he adds as pushes away from the lockers. “Anubis is planning an attack – we don’t know where, or what form it will take, but one of our operatives says his forces are growing at a rate none of us expected.”

The information sits heavily on Jack’s chest and he frowns.

“It looks like I’m going to need to go off the radar for a while – find out what’s going on,” the older man adds. “You know I’ll always help you when I can, but –”

“But you’re telling me not to go and get myself shot – or worse,” Jack nods. “I get it.”

“Make sure you do,” he says firmly. “Because I’m not sure I want to see what would happen to my daughter if something happens to you.”

Jack says nothing, but holds Jacob’s gaze.

“Look after Sam for me.”

“Always, sir.”

A heavy silence falls between the pair before a small smile tugs at Jacob’s lips. He takes a step forward and pats Jack on the shoulder before he makes his way towards the door.

“Stay safe out there, Jack.”

“You too, Dad,” he answers quietly as he watches him walk away, unable to shake the sudden sense of foreboding that accompanied Jacob’s words.

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter didn’t flow as smoothly as I wanted it to, but when I was re-watching this episode, I thought it was interesting that clone-Jack didn’t want Jacob’s help, however, he only agreed to “think about” his answer (even though he went on the run) when Sam chipped in with a “please”. It reminded me of the scene in ‘Frozen’ when Jack agreed to take a symbiote and I’d never really noticed the parallels before. 
> 
> That, and I wanted another almost-foreboding scene with Jacob and proper-Jack, before the whole ‘Evolution’, ‘Death Knell’, ‘Heroes’ arc.


End file.
